C1C3 Part II Contributory Benefits
Maternity
35 State maternity allowance F1for employed or self-employed earner.
F51
A woman shall be entitled to a maternity allowance F7under this section, at the appropriate weekly rate determined under section 35A below, if—
a
she has become pregnant and has reached, or been confined before reaching, the commencement of the 11th week before the expected week of confinement; and
b
she has been engaged in employment as an employed or self-employed earner for any part of the week in the case of at least 26 of the 66 weeks immediately preceding the expected week of confinement; and
F13c
her average weekly earnings (within the meaning of section 35A below) are not less than the maternity allowance threshold for the tax year in which the beginning of the period of 66 weeks mentioned in paragraph (b) above falls;
d
she is not entitled to statutory maternity pay for the same week in respect of the same pregnancy.
2
Subject to the following provisions of this section, a maternity allowance F20under this section shall be payable for the period (“the maternity allowance period”) which, if she were entitled to statutory maternity pay, would be the maternity pay period under section 165 below.
3
Regulations may provide—
a
for disqualifying a woman for receiving a maternity allowance F8under this section if—
F4i
during the maternity allowance period, except in prescribed cases, she does any work in employment as an employed or self-employed earner;
ia
during the maternity allowance period she fails without good cause to observe any prescribed rules of behaviour; or
ii
at any time before she is confined she fails without good cause to attend for, or submit herself to, any medical examination required in accordance with the regulations;
b
that this section and F10section 35A below shall have effect subject to prescribed modifications in relation to cases in which a woman has been confined and—
i
has not made a claim for a maternity allowance F11under this section in expectation of that confinement (other than a claim which has been disallowed); or
ii
has made a claim for a maternity allowance F3under this section in expectation of that confinement (other than a claim which has been disallowed), but she was confined more than 11 weeks before the expected week of confinement;
F18c
that subsection (2) above shall have effect subject to prescribed modifications in relation to cases in which a woman fails to satisfy the conditions referred to in subsection (1)(b) F19or (c) above at the commencement of the 11th week before the expected week of confinement, but subsequently satisfies those conditions at any time before she is confined.
F173A
Regulations may provide for the duration of the maternity allowance period as it applies to a woman to be reduced, subject to prescribed restrictions and conditions.
3B
Regulations under subsection (3A) are to secure that the reduced period ends at a time—
a
after a prescribed period beginning with the day on which the woman is confined, and
b
when at least a prescribed part of the maternity allowance period remains unexpired.
3C
Regulations under subsection (3A) may, in particular, prescribe restrictions and conditions relating to—
a
the end of the woman's entitlement to maternity leave;
b
the doing of work by the woman;
c
the taking of prescribed steps by the woman or another person as regards leave under section 75E of the Employment Rights Act 1996 in respect of the child;
d
the taking of prescribed steps by a person other than the woman as regards statutory shared parental pay in respect of the child.
3D
Regulations may provide for a reduction in the duration of the maternity allowance period as it applies to a woman to be revoked, or to be treated as revoked, subject to prescribed restrictions and conditions.
F163E
A woman who would, but for the reduction in duration of a maternity pay period by virtue of section 165(3A), be entitled to statutory maternity pay for a week is not entitled to a maternity allowance for that week.
4
A woman who has become entitled to a maternity allowance F9under this section shall cease to be entitled to it if she dies before the beginning of the maternity allowance period; and if she dies after the beginning, but before the end, of that period, the allowance shall not be payable for any week subsequent to that in which she dies.
5
6
In this section “confinement” means—
a
labour resulting in the issue of a living child, or
b
labour after F624 weeks of pregnancy resulting in the issue of a child whether alive or dead,
and “confined” shall be construed accordingly; and where a woman’s labour begun on one day results in the issue of a child on another day she shall be taken to be confined on the day of the issue of the child or, if labour results in the issue of twins or a greater number of children, she shall be taken to be confined on the day of the issue of the last of them.
F26A
In this section “the maternity allowance threshold”, in relation to a tax year, means (subject to subsection (6B) below) £30.
6B
The Secretary of State may, in relation to any tax year after 2001-2002, by order increase the amount for the time being specified in subsection (6A) above to such amount as is specified in the order.
6C
When deciding whether, and (if so) by how much, to increase the amount so specified the Secretary of State shall have regard to the movement, over such period as he thinks fit, in the general level of prices obtaining in Great Britain (estimated in such manner as he thinks fit).
6D
The Secretary of State shall in each tax year carry out such a review of the amount for the time being specified in subsection (6A) above as he thinks fit.
7
The fact that the mother of a child is being paid maternity allowance F15under this section shall not be taken into consideration by any court in deciding whether to order payment of expenses incidental to the birth of the child.
Pt. 2 modified (E.W.S.) (11.11.1999 for specified purposes, 1.12.2000 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), ss. 49, 89(5)(a); S.I. 2000/1047, art. 2(2)(d), Sch. Pt. IV